On Campus: Bucking the trend

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - The SEC has won each of the last seven BCS
championships, with Alabama reigning supreme in three of the last four
seasons.

Sportsbooks across the country have spoken loud and clear in regard to the
2013 season and with five of the top eight favorites residing in the SEC, is
there any reason to look outside of the conference for a real contender?

Nick Saban's Crimson Tide are sitting atop their lofty perch once again
heading into 2013. With plenty of existing star power on both sides of the
football, veteran leaders that know how to win tough games on the biggest of
stages and a steady influx of blue-chippers, conventional wisdom suggests that
Alabama's run will continue for the foreseeable future.

Still, it's nice to think outside the box every now and then. With that in
mind, here are the programs that have a puncher's chance of knocking off the
champs both in and out of the SEC.

NON-CONFERENCE:

OHIO STATE: Urban Meyer's Buckeyes were the only team that ran the table last
season, but were not eligible to play in the postseason. That all changes this
year, as Ohio State is ready for an encore performance. Ohio State is loaded
on offense, with a difference maker under center in Braxton Miller. Recent
off-the-field concerns regarding starting running back Carlos Hyde and All-
American cornerback Bradley Roby may leave the team at less than full strength
early on, but the schedule is more than forgiving, with a light non-conference
slate early, followed by favorable Big Ten matchups, the toughest of which
come in Columbus. The Buckeyes are more than capable of running the table
again and with a Big Ten title in tow, could find themselves opposite the Tide
in the Rose Bowl come Jan. 6 if others falter along the way.

OREGON: There's a new sheriff in town in Mark Helfrich, but not much should
change in Eugene, as the talent level is still present for at least one more
run at the championship. Helfrich takes over for the departed Chip Kelly and
while things may change a little in terms of Kelly's break-neck tempo both in
practice and on the field, winning games utilizing speed will remain. The
Ducks are loaded on offense, from star QB Marcus Mariota to sophomore tailback
Byron Marshall to the nation's most explosive weapon in junior RB/WR/KR
De'Anthony Thomas, and lighting up the scoreboard will once again come
naturally. The team went 12-1 last season, with the lone loss coming in
overtime to Stanford. An early November trip to the Farm may be the only thing
standing in the way of Oregon's shot at the BCS title.

STANFORD: It might now be safe to say that David Shaw knows what he is doing
in Palo Alto. The Cardinal enjoyed unprecedented success with Andrew Luck at
the helm, but that success continued in the post-Luck era with last season's
12-2 finish, including a win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, the team's third
straight BCS Bowl appearance. Kevin Hogan came on strong down the stretch as
the team's offensive leader under center. Although Stanford needs to find some
suitable replacements at the skill positions, this is a team that will
dominate on the defensive side of the ball, as the front seven for Stanford
could produce numerous All-Americans. November will tell the tale though, as
the schedule late is daunting to say the least. It starts with a home game
against Oregon, then a road trip to USC. The regular season closes with arch-
rival California and Notre Dame both at home.

CLEMSON: It seems at the start of every season lately, the Tigers are
mentioned as potential national title contenders. This season is no different,
as the offense has a chance to be every bit as good as last year's Clemson
squad that set a school record for scoring and ranked among the ACC's best
ever. The result was an 11-2 season, with the losses coming to Florida State
and South Carolina. The team did show its mettle, following a loss to an SEC
power with a win against an SEC power, topping LSU in the Chick-fil-A Bowl
(25-24). All-American Tajh Boyd is back under center and has proven to be one
of the nation's premier playmakers. The hope is that former All-American Sammy
Watkins will return to form as one of the nation's top targets downfield. The
Tigers open with the Georgia Bulldogs in Death Valley, the result of which
could either fan the flames of a national title run or douse them prior to
September.

FLORIDA STATE: Remember when Florida State was in the hunt every year for a
national title? Jimbo Fisher is now in his fourth season at the helm in
Tuscaloosa and his Seminoles are slowly starting to creep back into the
conversation. Last year's squad found its way to the top of the ACC (first
title since 2005), finishing 12-2 overall, including routing Northern Illinois
(31-10) in the Orange Bowl. The team returns just 10 starters on offense and
defense combined, but that shouldn't slow the Noles' roll. The arrival of
redshirt freshman signal-caller Jameis Winston has been met with a mountain of
optimism and excitement, as the youngster has a chance to break out and be a
star right away. He will be aided by talented depth at the skill positions,
but more importantly, by an offensive line that features a couple of All-
American candidates. The team has a good shot at reaching its annual season-
finale against rival Florida unscathed. Getting past the Gators could land the
Seminoles in a showdown with the Tide come season's end.

IN-CONFERENCE:

SOUTH CAROLINA: A lot of people think that if there is an SEC team out there
that is ready to knock off Alabama it will be Texas A&M, or even Georgia.
However, Steve Spurrier knows his way around the conference and the "Ol' Ball
Coach" has South Carolina nearing the apex of the sport. USC went 11-2 last
season, including a 33-28 win over Michigan in the Outback Bowl. The team has
a veteran under center and a budding star on the outside, but it is the
infectious play of All-American defensive end Jadeveon Clowney that fuels the
Gamecocks. Barring an injury or some off-the-field issues, Clowney is expected
to be the top pick in next year's NFL Draft. For now though, he gets to
terrorize the FBS ranks one more time and bring his talented teammates along
for the ride. The schedule plays right into the hype surrounding South
Carolina, as the team avoids the SEC West's top teams (Alabama, Texas A&M,
LSU) altogether and gets Florida and Clemson at home in late November.

TEXAS A&M: The Aggies were the only team to hand the Crimson Tide a loss last
year and Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel had a lot to do with that. With
"Johnny Football" under center in 2013, A&M may just have Alabama's number
again this season, especially since the game comes early in College Station.
Matching last year's unprecedented run to the Heisman isn't realistic, but
with Manziel's ability to elude pressure and make plays, the Aggies should
give the Tide problems again. After winning 11 games last season, Kevin
Sumlin's squad could actually increase its win total this year. The non-
conference slate will hold little mystery (Rice, Sam Houston State, SMU,
UTEP), while the rest of the schedule shapes up nicely outside of the Alabama
game and a late November trip to Baton Rouge to take on LSU.

FLORIDA: The Gators seem to always be in the mix prior to the start of the
season and are usually still hanging around the conversation late. Last year
was no different as Will Muschamp's squad posted 11 wins. The team dropped a
hard-fought contest against Georgia (17-9) but bounced back with four straight
wins to close out the year. The team earned a spot in the Sugar Bowl as a
result, but fell to Louisville (33-23), ending a strong season on a sour note.
Talent isn't the problem in Gainesville, as Florida is once again loaded on
both sides of the ball. The Gators will benefit from not having Alabama or
Texas A&M on the schedule, but do have to travel to both LSU and South
Carolina, while the always tough Georgia Bulldogs present a stiff challenge
each year in Jacksonville. The road will tell the tale for Florida this season
and momentum late could prove key to the Gators' chances.

GEORGIA: Mark Richt's squad was embarrassed at South Carolina last season
(35-7), but pulled it together after that en route to the SEC East crown. The
Bulldogs gave it their all in the SEC Championship Game, taking Alabama to the
limit in a 32-28 loss. Georgia ended the year on a high note with a big win
over Nebraska in the Capital One Bowl and finished with a 12-2 record. The
team returns nine starters on the offensive side of the ball in 2013,
including a couple of stars in quarterback Aaron Murray and tailback Todd
Gurley. Georgia's fortunes will be told early on, as there may not be a harder
two-game set to start the season in the country. The Bulldogs open with a road
trip to Death Valley against Clemson, before returning home for an SEC East
showdown with South Carolina a week later.

LSU: Counting out the Tigers in the SEC would be unwise to say the least. Les
Miles' squad may have had a down year in 2012, but a down year in Baton Rouge
still resulted in 10 wins. The team returns a ton of talent on both sides of
the ball, including eight starters on offense. Zach Mettenberger has settled
in under center for LSU and should be improved over last year, as his top two
tailbacks and top four receivers are back in the fold. If the Tigers are in
the mix late, they would have to be considered a favorite to win it all,
considering the schedule is peppered with pitfalls. Road trips to Georgia and
Alabama and home dates with Florida and Texas A&M will determine LSU's fate in
2013.